MAKJ | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Mackenzie Alexander Johnson (1990-06-25)June 25, 1990 (age 35)[1] |
| Origin | San Luis Obispo,California, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | producer, DJ |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Labels | Kenz Records, Universal Records |
Mackenzie Johnson (born June 25, 1990), known professionally as MAKJ, is an American DJ and producer who’s been a driving force in electronic music since 2012. Breaking into the scene with solo releases and standout collaborations with artists like Hardwell, Tinashe, Steve Aoki, Timmy Trumpet, Lil Jon, and Deorr. MAKJ quickly became a festival favorite, performing at Electric Zoo, EDC, Coachella, and Tomorrow Lands main stage. In 2014, Billboard named him one of the “Top 10 Artists to Watch” at Ultra Music Festival, and he earned a spot on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list. Beyond the stage, MAKJ hosts Revolution Radio on Clear Channel’s Evolution channel, where he continues to showcase new talent and sounds shaping the future of dance music.
Mackenzie Johnson was born in 1990 inSan Luis Obispo, California. By his teens, he was living inChina while pursuing a career as a professional race car driver. At age fifteen, he became interested in DJing, and he purchased a set ofTechnics 1200 Turntables.[3] By age 17, he had returned to the United States, where he found himself invited to perform at local events in his hometown. He had a number of lessons withDJ AM, who trained MAKJ onscratching.[3]
In late 2013, MAKJ embarked on his first major US tour, traveling the country withBingo Players andBassjackers.[3] After a time playing small venues, he began to attend festivals as well.[4] Since 2013, he has performed at festivals such asElectric Zoo Festival,Voodoo Experience,Coachella, a main stage slot atTomorrowWorld, Northern Lights Festival,Euphoria Festival,Webster Hall, andRuby Skye.[3] In March 2014,Billboard named him one of the Top 10 Artists to Watch atUltra Music Festival.[5] He toured Europe in 2014 with his "Let’s Get Fucked Up Tour," then traveled North America with his "Peyote Tour." Plans for an Asian tour were also announced.[3]
He has released a number of singles as a solo artist since 2012, as well as a large number of collaborative singles. He has collaborated with artists such asShowtek,Lil Jon, andDJ Kura. In 2013, he released a collaborative single withHardwell entitled "Countdown" which peaked at No. 1 on Beatport within three days. He has also released music on Hysteria Records, Doorn Records, Diffused Records, andJuicy Music, among others.[3] In late 2014, he released his track "Generic," which had earlier debuted at the Ultra Festival inMiami.[4] Several of his original songs have charted in the Beatport Top 10.[4]
MAKJ has been a guest judge for theCampus DJ contest, and he is the host of a radio show onClear Channel’sEvolution channel, with the show also streaming atiHeartRadio.[3]
| Year | Award | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | DJ Magazine Awards | Makj | Top 100 DJs (63rd) | Nominated |
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [6] | BEL | FRA | |||
| "Countdown" (withHardwell) | 2013 | — | 28 | 41 | |
| "Encore" (with Henry Fong) | — | — | — | ||
| "Let's Get F*cked Up" (withLil Jon) | 2014 | — | — | — | |
| "Derp" (withBassjackers) | — | — | — | ||
| "Mad Max" | 2015 | — | — | — | |
| "Black" (withThomas Newson) | — | — | — | ||
| "Party Till We Die" (withTimmy Trumpet featuringAndrew W.K.) | 2016 | 46 | — | — | |
| "Shakalaka" (withSteve Aoki,Deorro and Max Styler)[7] | 2018 | — | — | — | |
| "Knockout" (with Deorro andQuintino)[8] | — | — | — | ||
| "Bounce 2 This" (with Will K)[9] | — | — | — | ||
| "Muñequita Linda"[10] (withJuan Magán andDeorro, featuringYFN Lucci) | — | — | — | ||
| "Fire" (with Linka & Mondello)[12] | 2019 | — | — | — | |
| "Grow Like This" (with Tropkillaz and Will K featuring Demarco)[13] | — | — | — | ||
| "Beast" (with Purari) | — | — | — | ||
| "Rave" (withSteve Aoki andShowtek featuring Kris Kiss)[14] | — | — | — | ||
| "Retumba" (with Deorro)[15] | — | — | — | ||
| "Left Right" (withHardwell andDeorro featuringFatman Scoop)[16] | — | — | — | ||
| "Save Room For Us" (featuringTinashe)[17] | 2020 | — | — | — | |
| "Green Light"[18] | — | — | — | ||
| "Promises"[19] (with Jyye) | — | — | — | ||
| "Night Ends"[20] | 2021 | — | — | — | |
| "Scream It"[21] (with Bassjackers) | — | — | — | ||
| "Club Sound"[22] | 2022 | — | — | — | |
| "Beautiful Life"[23] (with Purari) | — | — | — | ||
| "De La Sol"[24] (with Bassjackers) | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||
| International | |
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| Artists | |
